The information provided here is meant to give you a general idea about each of the medicine categories listed below. Only the most general side effects are included, so ask your doctor if you need to take any special precautions. Use each of these medicines as recommended by your doctor, or according to the instructions provided. If you have further questions about usage or side effects, contact your doctor.

Emergency medical personnel may begin treating you with medicines before you reach the hospital. At the hospital, additional drugs will be given and you will likely receive medicines to take at home after you are discharged.

Prescription Medications

Opioid Analgesics

Nitrates

Nitroglycerin

Nitrates help relieve chest pain by dilating the arteries, which allows more blood to flow to the heart muscle. Early in treatment, nitroglycerin may be administered as a tablet placed under the tongue or infused through a vein. Long-term, nitroglycerin may be given on a regular basis through a patch, paste, or orally to control chronic chest pain.

Possible side effects include:

Low blood pressure

Headache

Thrombolytic Agents

Common names include:

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)

Streptokinase

Reteplase

Tenecteplase

Lanoteplase

A drug to dissolve or break up blood clots in the coronary artery may be given via a needle placed in the arm (intravenously or IV). Early treatment, within three hours of the
heart attack
, offers the best chance for good results. Your medical history, age, and condition may prevent treatment with clot-busting drugs.

Antiarrhythmic

During a heart attack, damage to the heart muscle can increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms. Unstable heart rhythms can prevent the heart from effectively pumping blood, and if serious, lead to sudden death. Antiarrhythmic drugs help the heart beat more normally, usually by suppressing abnormal beats or by regularizing the heart rate.

There are a wide variety of drugs available to treat the various causes of abnormal rhythms. In emergencies, some of these drugs are given via an IV. Oral forms of medicine are used to treat more chronic
arrhythmias
. The main issue with these drugs is that unless the underlying rhythm problem can be corrected, they must be taken indefinitely. Also, one of the more unpredictable side effects of some of these medicines is the risk of making the arrhythmia worse. Talk to your doctor about the specific side effects or warning signs to watch for based on the drug you are taking.

Sodium Channel Blockers

Sodium channel blockers are a type of antiarrhythmic drugs. Examples of these medicines include:

Procainamide
(Procan-SR, Pronestyl)

Quinidine
(Cardioquin, Quinidex Extentabs)

Disopyramide
(Norpace)

Lidocaine

Flecainide
(Tambocor)

Tocainide (Tonocard)

Amiodarone
(Cordarone)

Mexiletine
(Mexil)

Propafenone
(Rythmol)

Moricizine
(Ethmozine)

Beta-Blockers

Common names include:

Acebutolol
(Sectral)

Atenolol
(Tenormin)

Betaxolol
(Kerlone)

Metoprolol
(Lopressor, Toprol)

Nadolol
(Corgard)

Pindolol
(Visken)

Propranolol
(Inderal)

Timolol
(Blocadren)

Carvedilol
(Coreg)

Nebivolol
(Bystolic)

Beta-blockers are another type of antiarrhythmic drugs. Beta-blockers decrease demands on the heart and lower blood pressure. They may limit the amount of heart damage and help to prevent future heart attacks.
They can also be used for their antiarrhythmic effects.

Possible side effects include:

Low blood pressure

Slow heart rate

Fatigue

Sexual dysfunction

Action Potential-Prolonging Agents

Action potential-prolonging agents are another type of antiarrhythmic drugs. Examples of these medicines include:

Bretylium

Sotalol
(Betapace)

Dofetilide
(Tikosyn)

Calcium Channel Blockers

Common names include:

Amlodipine
(Norvasc, Lotrel)

Felodipine
(Plendil)

Isradipine
(Dynacirc)

Nicardipine
(Cardene)

Nifedipine
(Adalat, Procardia)

Verapamil
(Calan, Isoptin)

Diltiazem
(Cardizem, Tiazac)

Another type of antiarrhythmic drugs, calcium channel blockers lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate. These may be given to patients who cannot take beta-blockers. They can also be used for their antiarrhythmic effects.

Statins

Common names include:

Atorvastatin
(Lipitor)

Pravastatin
(Pravachol)

Lovastatin
(Mevacor)

Simvastatin
(Zocor)

Fluvastatin
(Lescol)

Resuvastatin (Crestor)

Statins are drugs that help to lower blood cholesterol levels. They may be prescribed along with a low cholesterol diet if you have
high cholesterol
.
Atorvastatin may reduce the risk of repeat stroke or heart attack.

Possible side effects include:

Headache

Muscle pain

Liver damage (rare)

Over-the-Counter Medications

Aspirin

Aspirin
may be given by emergency medical personnel and continued after admission to the hospital. Aspirin helps prevent clotting and reclosing of the artery. Aspirin should generally be taken with food to decrease stomach upset.

Possible side effects include:

Stomach upset

Gastrointestinal bleeding and stroke

Special Considerations

If you are taking medicines, follow these general guidelines:

Take your medicine as directed. Do not change the amount or the schedule.

Do not stop taking them without talking to your doctor.

Do not share them.

Know what the results and side effects. Report them to your doctor.

Some drugs can be dangerous when mixed. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist if you are taking more than one drug. This includes over-the-counter medicine and herb or dietary supplements.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.
Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

DISCLAIMER: This information is intended for educational purposes. EBSCO is in no way liable for the use of this information and makes no warranty or guarantee as to its accuracy.